Where is Digital Transformation Heading with the Pandemic?
Technology, which experienced rapid development before the pandemic process, continues to change and develop at the same speed. In today’s world, which is characterized as the Digital Age, in the next 10 years, a very large part of the workforce will work quite differently. Digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), Industry 4.0, mobile and the rise of Generation Z will have a huge impact on how people work in the next decade.
Cile Montgomery, a senior consultant at “Dell Technologies Unified Workspace”, referred to the results of a panel discussion she moderated, saying that especially the new young and digital generation defines work not as a place to go to work, but as a place where they see what they can achieve in their time. “The introduction of mobile technology and cloud-based solutions certainly helps make the idea of working anytime, anywhere a reality, while the generational mix of “Baby Boomers, X-Generation, Millennials (Y-Generation) and Z-Generation” creates a complex work-style dynamic in the business world.
As work becomes less than a place to go and is no longer a task, employees expect to be able to work whenever and wherever they want.”
In today’s business world, which is experiencing a rapid digital transformation, with the pandemic, working conditions have started to take place with virtual teams and business employees who rely on web-based production and collaboration tools to connect to their work regardless of location or time of day. While this trend is more relevant today for certain groups such as “knowledge workers,” these trends are expected to accelerate in the next five years by incorporating process-oriented jobs that can be augmented or replaced and replicated with technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics. Over the next five years, the biggest challenge for organizations and businesses will be to provide career paths that offer exciting opportunities for employees (especially Generation Z, who have grown to be highly digital and social media enthusiasts). Expressing that he wants to present the talents and skills of Generation Z employees to companies that provide flexibility and freedom to be entrepreneurs through personalized roles, Montgomery says that the new generation sees the technology industry as a sweet spot for them to realize these career goals. Therefore, providing intuitive technology and solutions will be just one piece of the puzzle for organizations looking to attract this new wave of talent.
A decade from now, the picture is expected to be quite different as Industry 4.0 technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT become prevalent. According to a McKinsey study cited by Cile Montgomery, “60% of jobs will be transformed by automation of component tasks by 2030.” However, technology is not expected to replace humans. Instead, digital transformation will free people from many mundane tasks, provide opportunities for advancement, and create whole new categories of jobs such as educational technology to be more empathetic. Some companies can then run faster than others, widening the gap between businesses that are future-proofed and able to take advantage of emerging technologies, and those that aren’t. But one thing is for sure: The steps businesses take today—modernizing infrastructure, inspiring employees, and deploying next-generation technologies—will lay the groundwork for their digital future and help bring the next wave of human-led, technology-driven progress to fruition.
